Service Charges

[can123]

Is anybody able to give me an indication of service charges in gated communities, please ? I do not want to retire to Thailand to find later in life that the charges have been increased so as to make me struggle to live over there. As an example from the UK, my parents used to pay about £20 for rates and water for a year. Now, I pay the best part of £ 2000. ( I appreciate that this has increased over a period of thirty years. )

I am probably going to live in Isaan so some details relating to "village charges" in the Udon Thani area would be appreciated.

Obviously, if the charges are high and I am likely to be shafted by overcharging by unscrupulous Thais, I would look to buy a house outside of the villages.

Thank you.

[nigelandjan]

I am likely to be shafted

You got that bit right

[can123]

I am likely to be shafted

You got that bit right

Why are you such a total knobhead ?

[nigelandjan]

Why are you such a total knobhead ?

I give up ,,,,,,,,,,,''''''''''''' why are you ?

[can123]

I asked a perfectly sensible question and I wanted help. Clearly, you have very limited knowledge and cannot help. Why can't you just keep quiet ?

[Carnwadrick]

Quote: Originally Posted by nigelandjan Quote: Originally Posted by can123 I am likely to be shafted You got that bit right Why are you such a total knobhead

OMG I think my X wife has joined TD

[OhOh]

I am likely to be shafted

You got that bit right

Why are you such a total knobhead ?

You might like to chill a little here. if you only want facts, try searching.

[can123]

You might like to chill a little here. if you only want facts, try searching.

I seem to have tried every property website in Thailand but can find no figures relating to service charges. It is a pretty good bet that some contributors to this forum actually pay them and they could point me in the right direction.

I have the right to identify knobheads whenever I want to. It's not a question of chilling. I asked for help and I might yet be lucky to find somebody who will assist.

[Airportwo]

I pay nothing, when I bought the house there was an upfront payment that is supposed to last for 25 years (it was 100k)
Years back I have lived in different places and paid from 6 to 16 k a year.
Biggest problem with having a monthly payment is half the tenants never pay it, or the houses are empty, so it's unlikely they will increase monthly fee to some ridiculous amount as wherever I have been its a struggle to collect the money, one of the reasons you see so many rundown villages...

[can123]

I pay nothing, when I bought the house there was an upfront payment that is supposed to last for 25 years (it was 100k)
Years back I have lived in different places and paid from 6 to 16 k a year.
Biggest problem with having a monthly payment is half the tenants never pay it, or the houses are empty, so it's unlikely they will increase monthly fee to some ridiculous amount as wherever I have been its a struggle to collect the money, one of the reasons you see so many rundown villages...

Thank you. I had wondered why some villages were not very smart but was unable to work out the reason why for myself. In cases like your own does the paid service charge continue to operate on the sale of the property ? So, if somebody bought your house from you would they have to pay a fresh charge or pay nothing ?

I really am grateful for your reply. I have been very, very lucky in that I have never made a financial decision which has been wrong so far. Buying a house in Thailand is very likely to be the last major financial decision for me in my lifetime and I don't want to screw up now. It is very likely that I will die before my wife and I would like to ensure her future in the purchased home.

I asked a serious question and have, as expected, received quite a lot of sensible answers. My thanks to those who have answered me by private message and who have proved that this forum is easily the best relating to Thailand.

[Fondles]

Is anybody able to give me an indication of service charges in gated communities, please ? I do not want to retire to Thailand to find later in life that the charges have been increased so as to make me struggle to live over there. As an example from the UK, my parents used to pay about £20 for rates and water for a year. Now, I pay the best part of £ 2000. ( I appreciate that this has increased over a period of thirty years. )

I am probably going to live in Isaan so some details relating to "village charges" in the Udon Thani area would be appreciated.

Obviously, if the charges are high and I am likely to be shafted by overcharging by unscrupulous Thais, I would look to buy a house outside of the villages.

Thank you.

For the little "gated comunity" I live in here in Pattaya the yearly "service charges" are 15,000b, this covers security, garbage collection, pool maintenance, street lighting and cleaning (is swept daily for dogshit and other crap laying around).

[OhOh]

the yearly "service charges" are 15,000b

This just will not do. He wants you to tell him how much it will be in 20 years time. Be prepared for a blast for not answering his query correctly.

If you cant tell him what the guaranteed annual increases in the "service charge" will be; along with the £/baht exchange rate in 2031 he wont know if he will be shafted by johnny foreigner. He also would like you to guarantee that if he makes the wrong decision based on your "advice" you will reimburse his costs for returning to the UK.

[Fondles]

the yearly "service charges" are 15,000b

This just will not do. He wants you to tell him how much it will be in 20 years time. Be prepared for a blast for not answering his query correctly.

Little Stall on the ground of Carrefour (bigC extra) here in Patt's sells 8inch crystal balls, might be a wise investment for him then.

[peterpan]

in the Udon Thani area, don't know of many gated communities, some like the one I live in are semi gated, i.e. they have a gate but no manned security. and no charges, the developer tried to initiate one but it didn't fly.
After all its Udon, not the same need for personal security that living in Pattaya requires.

[superman]

Why not buy/build an house in a non-gated community and save yourself the worries of being 'shafted in the future'?
I've never understood why people want to live in a 'gated community'? I can pick dog sit up, cut my own grass, provide my own security...............................

[Loy Toy]

Every gated community has different charges mainly depending on whether the service is provided by a professional maintenance firm, the residents of the village as a group who organize everything or the police.

It also depends about the size of the Mooban (how many contributors equally sharing fixed costs) and based upon land size (baht per square metre).

You should pay between 2 and 5,000 Baht per month covering guards, estate maintenance, lighting, watering and incidentals such as repairs.

I prefer to employ guards myself with everyone pooling money and having an elected juristic person taking care of the payments, works out a lot cheaper and easier to control.

[Loy Toy]

Why not buy/build an house in a non-gated community and save yourself the worries of being 'shafted in the future'?

From experience these stand alone farang residences stand out as prime targets for thieves mate.

Whilst gated communities are not perfect they are the preferred option.

[FarangRed]

Thai's wont pay it hence the reason why so many Moo Baans look run down.

[superman]

Whilst gated communities are not perfect they are the preferred option.

From my observations, more people live outside 'gated communities' so therefore it can't be the 'preferred option'.

[DrAndy]

I have the right to identify knobheads whenever I want to

well said....try soi 5

My thanks to those who have answered me by private message and who have proved that this forum is easily the best relating to Thailand.

they are pretty useless as this is a forum and others may also be interested

Your service charges, if any, would obviously be based on any service received, so if you have lots of guards, sweepers, pool attendants and the rest, you will pay a lot. If you have one sleeping guard, not much

but why would you want to buy a house in a gated community? esp if it is for your wife after you have died?

[Loy Toy]

more people live outside 'gated communities' so therefore it can't be the 'preferred option'.

Whereabouts is that mate?

[OhOh]

I prefer to employ guards myself

Are "your guards" restricted in what types of crime they can handle, where they are allowed to go, whether they carry guns? What are their actions if one of your "neighbours" has police/army/political/golf club committee connections

[Loy Toy]

Are "your guards" restricted in what types of crime they can handle

No restrictions mate.

They are told to service the front gate and when possible walk around the estate particularly at night.

Simple really and a lot cheaper then using an organized crime employee.

[OhOh]

So if they spot something suspicious do they call the police? They are more like lookouts then, rather than taking any action (except calling the police)?

[Bung]

I pay about B700 a month water and fees. Live in a large (1000 rai) gated community. You can walk or cycle around the empty, shady tree lined streets, never have any through traffic, karaoke bars springing up, packs of dogs roaming (there was one but suddenly disappeared), village loud speakers, wrecked vehicles laying around and most times you can hear a pin drop. The garbage gets collected regularly, streets get sweeped, there are working street lights, there is a nice pool and restaurant, the security guys do rounds and people can't come in randomly without leaving their ID at the gate where there are now cctv cameras (my stepson had his motorbike stolen in an army base in Sattahip but got it back anfd the perps were arrested through cctv footage).

It wasn't clear in your post but if you are retiring to Thailand and are not married why on earth woulfd you move to a place like Udon?? Why not look at somewhere a bit nicer, higher elevation (cooler with better views and quite possibly cheaper) and generally more peacefull. Loei or Nan provinces spring to mind. Also Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai if you need the city services. I would have a good look around before commiting. If you are moving to Udon because your partner is from there that is even more reason to not move there, believe me.